this short and beautiful tale is an important reminder for children, especially young girls about the importance of recognising and appreciating themselves and others beyond their looks. i love the princess-y art style. it's very fitting for the cat and mine would approve too.

Fiona, the sassy and self-confident cat spends her day playing an important role in the house. from waking up her humans on time to chasing mice away and providing endless entertainment, she does it all with effortless ease. however, despite her many talents, she grows increasingly irritated when everyone only compliments her looks. when she is finally praised for her humour and hard work, she discovers a newfound sense of fulfilment.

we need more cute little books like these. highly recommended for cat lovers and kids.

Fiona and the Peculiar Praise is a cute book…I mean, a smart book, about a cat and her dislike of being called cute names when she’s done much more than just be cute. My 3yo daughter enjoyed the pictures (Fiona IS cute!). I feel like Fiona is trying to make a point, but I wasn’t feeling it. I thought it tried too hard to stand on a soapbox instead of just letting the cute cat be called cute. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

An adorable picture book about a sassy little cat who feels under-appreciated in her own home. Very fun, sweet, and full of charming illustrations. I would gladly read more books about Fiona in the future!

The illustrations are absolutely stunning, Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it. Thank you for this advance reading copy!

Fiona is considerate, intelligent, courageous, athletic, and well...confused. She knows she's all of these things and more, but somehow all anyone can talk about is how gorgeous she is! What gives?!

I *loved* this book. It's a heartfelt and funny story with ADORABLE illustrations that teaches the ever-valuable lesson of knowing that a person (or cat) is more than just their looks.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy

OMG this childrens book was adorable! I may not be a child but one reason I picked it is because I love cats, and the second reason I picked it is that I had a cat named Fiona when I was younger, This was a beautiful and charming book. I absolutely loved it and reconmend it!

This was just the cutest little story. The art is absolutely adorable. This also has some bigger words which is great for newer readers to start learning. I’ll definitely be getting this for my little nephews!

Both my kids love cats, and the illustrations for this book are great. The colors are vibrant and its keeps them engaged from one who can't read to one who can. Fiona is feisty and funny.

Something many girls will come up against as they grow up, compliments on their appearance rather than their accomplishments. This book does a good job of showing how those compliments can chafe when you are so much more than your appearance. My daughter (5) really enjoyed the book and the illustrations. We talked about the difference between people saying good things about how someone looks and saying good things about what someone does. I thought the pictures were very cute, and the message was a good one that sparked conversation. Seeing how Fiona got more frustrated as time went on helped talk about how our thoughts and feelings affect us. The book was short, but sweet, and got its message across. I read this digital picture book through NetGalley.

This book has such a great message about what kind of praise someone actually wants. Too many times we focus on how someone looks, when we really want someone to seed how smart, brave, or fast we are! The illustrations are amazing and I would definitely recommend this to classrooms or cat loving families.
Thank you to NetGalley and 4U2B Books and Media for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This gorgeously illustrated picture book presented a wonderful, important message about seeing value beyond appearance in others while also being funny and charming. While I think this is an excellent read for any young person, it will prove especially pertinent to young girls, who often don't receive the same affirmations about their strength, intelligence, etc. as their male counterparts.

I could see the children with whom I work loving this book. Anything involving a cat is always a hit with them, and the illustrations are charming, colorful, and humorous in a way that will draw them in and keep them turning the pages.

Fiona is an intelligent, playful, friendly, and definitely pampered cat. She notices, however, that her people usually just compliment her looks even when she does something smart or brave. She doesn’t understand why they don’t recognize her for the amazing feline that she is and it makes her a bit sad, until one day her human sister speaks up.

“Fiona and the Peculiar Praise” is a delightful story to encourage children to think about characteristics other than looks that make a person (or a pet) special. The illustrations are playful and Fiona is portrayed as a very expressive cat.

This story is great for people of all ages who love cats and for kids and parents who need to have a gentle conversation about how we are so much more than our physical appearance.

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and 4U2B Books & Media, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Kid review: It's good. It's funny at the end. I laughed a lot.
Mum review: we really enjoyed this picture book, which includes an important reminder for parents (especially of girls) to consider the praise we give our kids. The illustrations were excellent, with some very funny facial expressions bringing life to the characters. Finally, we always love a cat book that reminds us of our beloved cat's funny quirks.

A wonderfully illustrated children's book, perfect for young readers (and cat lovers!). Fiona is one sassy cat, and her antics are quite humorous. More importantly, though, her story helps stress to young readers that who they are and what they do matters more than looks. While I did find the story itself quite basic, I think it will resonate with young readers, and again, the illustrations are very well done.

This is a great read for a cat and human parent as a way to explain all the different ways we can share and say love. It reminded me of the unique things my grandpa used to call me that were his way of showing he cared, that from the outside might seem odd, but meant he loved me!

This was a very cute story that really hits home, especially for girls. We are more then our appearance and bring more to the table. The illustrations were very cute and kept my little's attention. I really enjoyed this and helped with subtle hints that hopefully will overtime will be instilled in them.

Thank you NetGalley, Rennie Dyball, and 4U2B Books & Media.

I love cats SO MUCH so this story was absolutely perfect. The illustrations were gorgeous and the depiction of owning a cat was so accurate - such a funny little story!

As an artist, I always get excited when I find a children’s book that is so gorgeously illustrated. Fiona and the Peculiar Praise is about a sassy pet cat who has a problem getting praised by their owners. I must say though that the story is quite lacking even though the illustrations are phenomenal. Young readers would appreciate it more especially with some humorous moments.

Even as a grown up, I am not afraid to say that such a precious story absolutely raised my spirits. A gorgeous book with a good message, Fiona and the Peculiar Praise is an excellent tale for children and adults alike. Also, I absolutely have bias in that I love that the main character is a cat. In the end, Fiona lets the mice go, which I feel is a lesson of kindness that kids can always benefit from.

I loved this book, and honestly made me think about how we treat our pets and the positive reinforcement we give them around beauty.
Great children’s book.